So. All that travel. Lots of meals. Here’s the most memorable and delish of the year:

cochinillo at Restaurant Jose Maria (Segovia, Spain)

Restaurant Jose Maria in Segovia, Spain knows how to serve a roast suckling pig (cochinillo). The piglets are days old, and the restaurant prepares the crackling so perfectly that the servers divide up your cochinillo using nothing but a plate edge. It’s fun to watch, but eating the pig is the main attraction. This is how it’s done.

hoisin pork in a steamed bun at Momofuku Ssam Bar (New York)

Pork bun sandwiches at Momofuku Ssam Bar in New York. Pork has never tasted so melt-in-your mouth.

mini financiers from Maison Eric Kayser (Paris)

Maison Eric Kayser’s mini-financiers are nutty and sweet with a moist, chewy center. Buy a bag because they make the perfect walking-around snack in Paris. Unlike les macarons, financiers aren’t easily crushed, and mini-anything is always extra appealing, no?

I ate so many delicious and memorable meals in Istanbul that it’s hard to pick just one dish, but if pressed, I’d name the fried anchovies at divey outdoor restaurant Furran Balikcilik, located in the Karakoy fish market. I don’t recall eating fresher, meatier anchovies than these, ever, and the guy who deftly battered and fried these fish should be working the fryer at a Michelin-starred restaurant.

updated baklava at Muzede Changa (Istanbul)

Argh. I couldn’t do it. I couldn’t leave so many great meals in Istanbul represented by a mere single entry. Muzede Changa, with its gracious hospitality and gorgeous outdoor terrace, served one of the best meals I ate all year, and their “updated” baklava served with clotted cream and quince puree transformed me into a baklava lover.

huevos rancheros at Tacos Por Favor (Santa Monica, California)

I love breakfast, and I love Cal-Mex food. Which means that as long as it’s made hot and fresh, huevos rancheros will get me very time. Good work, Tacos Por Favor.

burger, fries and onion rings from Hodad's (San Diego, California)

Maybe I was homesick when I ate at Hodad’s in San Diego, but I swear they make one of the best burgers in the world. Or if not the best burger, then *definitely* the best onion rings in the world. If you don’t believe me, go there and try them yourself. It’ll be worth the trip, I promise.

wild calamari salad at Thoumieux (Paris)

Though our mains at now-Costes-Brothers-owned Thoumieux weren’t very exciting, the starters there were creative, memorable, and most importantly, delicious. The wild calamari salad served with thick lardons and a soft-boiled egg (carbonara style) was both playful and uber tasty. A creamy surf-and-turf. You should eat at Thoumieux for the fresh bread and starters alone, but I guarantee you’ll stay for the atmosphere and good-looking servers.

If you enjoyed reading this post, you might also like last week’s post on my favorite London restaurants in 2009. Also, for an index listing all the posts I’ve written on restaurants outside the UK (organized by country, then by city), click here.

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11 Responses

Although I generally agree with your comments, there is one mega point of disagreement: breakfast! I never could understand how anyone could be awake enough to enjoy eating and would be hungry enough (well I do tend to eat dinner late) in the morning for a lot of food. Admitedly some of my best friends do claim it’s their favourite meal of the day. Hmmm

I totally agree that one of the best things about London is how easy it is to get away – that sounds a bit bad and negative to say but it is really such a positive especially when you are used to Australian distances. I really want to try Momofuku – I found a recipe for the pork rolls on the internet in Momofuku style but they are very complicated it seems easier to fly to NYC and eat them there!

Gourmet Chick – My mom used to make steamed buns like the ones used in the Momofuku sandwiches, and the buns alone were a lot of effort. So I can imagine how much more additional effort making Momofuku’s super-soft pork filling is . . . which means you’re right that flying to New York seems an easier solution. : )

You know, I didn’t even notice that the burger used “American cheese” slices until you pointed it out. I just took it for granted. But good point . . . American slices and burgers make the perfect match.

[…] food blogger, I generated my “Favorite London Restaurants” list for 2009, and a corresponding list for places outside the UK. I’m happy to see that even today, I’d still agree with most of the restos […]